At the most recent State of Play, Sony dropped a trailer for the upcoming titleValkyrie Elysium. While it has been over a decade since the series' last console installment, and three years since its latest mobile release,Square Enixpromised fans thatValkyrie Elysiumwould function as a standalone experience. Unlike previous games in the franchise, however,Valkyrie Elysiumwill deviate from its turn-based tactical roots in favor of real-time combat.
For fans of theValkyrie Profilefranchise, this announcement was welcome news, but the majority of Square Enix fans were anticipating major news related to eitherDragon QuestorFinal Fantasy.Still, regardless of whether fans are personally excited aboutValkyrie Elysium, the revival of the series may have major implications when it comes to other overlooked Square Enix titles.
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Valkyrie Elysium Shows Square Enix’s Commitment To Overlooked Franchises
Thereveal ofValkyrie Elysiumstruck many as an odd choice. Not counting the mobile gameValkyrie Anatomia: The Origin, theValkyrie Profileseries has not been revisited sinceValkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plumein 2009. For a company that tends to bank heavily on its cornerstone franchises, the effort to revisit a relative underappreciated series was an unexpected move. If anything, it proves that Square Enix has a willingness to deviate from its tried-and-true performers and explore options that fans had long since given up on.
TheValkyrie Elysiumreveal could be a herald of things to come forother Square Enix franchises. A quick glance through Square Enix’s catalog reveals a plethora of worthy contenders in need of a serious revisit:Grandia,Lufia, or perhaps even a return to the fantasy world ofDrakengardoutside theNiertitles. While Square Enix has remained committed to most of its series through remasters or remakes, it’s rare that an older franchise will receive an entirely new title. At the very least, fans of the more forgotten Square Enix titles now have a glimmer of hope given theValkyrie Profileseries has returned in a major way.
Square Enix Could Inspire Other Companies to Look Beyond Sales
While the firstValkyrie Profilegame was a success, each subsequent iteration only managed to garner about half the sales of its respective predecessor. That’s not to say theValkyrie Profilefranchise has not been critically well-receive, but the franchise’s sales were on an undeniable decline. This is not true of Square Enix’s biggestfranchises likeFinal Fantasy, in which recent releases likeFinal Fantasy 15have managed to compete with the series' gold standard of sales,Final Fantasy 7. It’s fair to say, then, that Square Enix’s decision to revitalize theValkyrie Profileseries was one not entirely driven by profit.
If other companies are taking notes, fans could potentially see a number of forgotten franchises brought back to life. For instance, it may be time forElectronic Arts to look at theUltimafranchise. While just looking at theUltimaseries' last few release sales would more or less write it off as a potential project for many companies, it’s probably no riskier than revisiting a franchise likeValkyrie Profile.
Since Valkyrie Profile’s success has historically been buoyed by its Japan sales,Valkyrie Elysiumis essentially Square Enix betting that North American and Japanese game markets operate similarly. IfValkyrie Elysiumis successful, the argument could be extended to include wider localization efforts. It would be impossible to argue against thelocalization of a hugely requested game likeMother 3, for instance, if a more obscure franchise likeValkyrie Profilewere to return and become a major hit.
Valkyrie Elysiumis set for release in 2022 on PC, PS4, and PS5.
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